Life history parameters of tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on various host plants

The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is one of the most destructive pests of tomato in field and greenhouses. Llife history and population growth of this pest were investigated on three solanaceous plants including four varieties of tomato (Western Red, Matin, Serin, and Rio-Grand), three varieties of eggplant (White-Casper, Ravia, and Pearl-Ground) and three varieties of sweet pepper (Bachata, Lorca, and Nirvin). The developmental time, survival, longevity, and fecundity of the pest on the leaves of tested varieties were investigated. The experiments were conducted at 25 ± 2°C, relative humidity of 65 ± 5% and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L: D) h. The results of the statistical comparison of the varieties within each host plant showed that life table parameters of the insect were not significantly different on tomato varieties and on eggplant varieties. However, among pepper varieties, the net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, and finite rate of increase rate on variey Lorca were higher than on Nervin and Bachata. The results of comparison among varieties of different hosts showed that the highest immature survival was observed on tomato, varieties Serin and Matin, and the lowest survival was seen on pepper, varieties Lorca and Nirvin. The longest developmental time was obtained on pepper, varieties Bachata and Nirvin. The lowest fecundity and the shortest oviposition period were found on pepper, varieties Bachata and Nirvin. The net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, and finite rate of increase were lowest on pepper, varieties Bachata and Nirvin, and other varieties showed no significant differences. In general, tomato varieties were susceptible,, and eggplant variety White-Casper and pepper varieties Bachata and Nirvin were partially resistant against T. absoluta. This information provides the possibility of using these varieties in order to manage T. absoluta populations during its outbreak.